Traveling in Asia during the summer can be summed up in one word: hot. During our visit to Seoul, the city experienced record-high temperatures, which resulted in a heat advisory. But with so little time in town, we knew we had to do our best to brave the heat.

On Sunday, we met up with some fellow MSU grads (one of which was a former colleague at our college newspaper) and their precious new baby for an epic brunch at the Four Seasons. She writes a wonderful blog called stepsinseoul about their life in the country as expats as well as their travels. Being able to share stories about life abroad with someone else who understands the ups and downs will never stop being therapeutic. Our brunch was a reminder the world is a lot smaller than we think and you never know when or how you’ll be brought back together with people from your recent or distant past. Hopefully this isn’t the last time we see them in Asia.

The sights we visited included Gyeongbokgung Palace, which dates back to 1395 as well as Jongmyo Shrine. In between were many spicy, delicious meals and plenty of shopping for beauty products at department stores like Lotte and local chain Olive Young. We got a lot done in a short amount of time, but I hope we can make it back some day to see even more of this beautiful country.

Children and their parents trying to stay cool on the boulevard in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

This boulevard features memorials to the country’s most celebrated national heroes.

The entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Incredible detail.

Guards allowed guests to take pictures with them.

We happened to be there just in time for the changing of the guard.

The procession headed into the main palace grounds and out of sight.

So. Much. Barbecue. Not mad about it.

Enjoying late-night music in the Cheonggyecheon River urban park, a converted highway turned into a recreation space.

Bearing the heat in search of the products on my beauty wish list (posting my haul tomorrow). Craig was a trooper.

I had an earlier flight back to Tokyo than Craig, so he made his way to Jongmyo Shrine, a Confucian shrine dedicated to the deceased kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.

Always a good traveler, Craig joined a tour of the grounds to learn more about the shrine.

A statue outside the shrine that we’ve researched and come up empty…

The small wooden boxes in the background have holes drilled into them. Spirits reside in the boxes and can come and go. The brass bowls and pots are offerings to the spirits.

A gorgeous screen in one of the alcoves on the grounds of the shrine.

Here’s a carriage used to carry kings around the grounds of the shrine.

The main buildings were constructed in 1394.

Jongmyo was a place of worship for kings. Now there are rituals held here where songs are played to invite ancestral spirits.

The path walk for the souls. The higher ground in the middle of the path is reserved only for the king.

A sacred tree on the grounds of the shrine. You can make out a ghost’s face in the holes of the trunk.

A mystery mural behind the mystery statue.

This carnivore left very happy with a full belly. See you soon, Seoul.